Compare towns
Charlotte vs Dover vs Ogunquit vs Essex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Charlotte has the highest household income ($144k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Essex has the most affordable homes ($278k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Charlotte | Dover | Ogunquit | Essex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,916 |
33,364Highest |
1,379 |
710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.2±5 34% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.5±7.2 38% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Charlotte and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $144,375±$27kHighest 79% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$77,188±$11kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Charlotte and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $695,300±$53k 109% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$277,800±$50kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,738±$803Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
— | $775±$709Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Charlotte and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,221Highest 196% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,888Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.1%±28.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
14.6%±42.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Charlotte and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.8%±8.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Charlotte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #3 of 70 in VT | #64 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Dover School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.